FLASH still spells trouble for DHS

The procurement folks over at the Homeland Security Department are probably anxious to get the debacle known as FLASH behind it.

Afterall, the $1.5 billion small business contract for Agile services fell apart when bid protests revealed that document were altered to defend the picks DHS made for the contract. Once, DHS leadership learned what happened they cancelled the entire contract.

Besides the falsified documents, there were other problems with the contract. DHS also said many of its requirements had changed so it needed to rewrite the entire solicitation.

FLASH went poof, so to speak. The Government Accountability Office dismissed the protests – because the contract had been cancelled.

DHS probably thought it would be left in peace to develop the replacement contract, but not so fast.

Seven of the companies that filed protests over DHS’ award decisions have gone back to GAO asking to be reimbursed for their costs.

Protestors are often awarded the costs of their protest if GAO rules in their favor. In this case there was no ruling, but given the mea culpa DHS presented to GAO and the report GAO issued when it dismissed the protests, I’d say these companies stood a very good chance of winning their protests if the process had continued.

A decision from GAO is expected sometime in September.

The companies asking for reimbursement are:

• BC Digital Services
• Brillient Corp.
• Citizant Inc.
• Cybermedia Technologies Inc.
• EDC Consulting LLC
• Incentive Technology Group
• Ventera Corp.